Snippet
by Hurbis
Summary: A collection of short drabbles between 100 and 250 words. They range over all characters and both the worlds of Tortall and Emelan.
1. Yield

"Yield." Her arm wrapped around his middle, pressing him against her, her other hand held the deadly dagger to his throat.

"Not likely." The gruff voice replied, before George hooked his ankle around his wife's leg, his hand pushing her wrist from his throat. He leaned over Alanna, grinning.

"Never was the submittin' kind, you know."

The King's Champion lay very still for a few minutes, hurling herself squarely into George's chest, rolling him so that she perched neatly on his chest.

"Neither am I!"

A warm chuckle rumbled in George's chest, as he tugged Alanna down for a kiss.


	2. Proof

There was a line forming between his brows, and his lips were pursed in thought. Keladry of Mindelan wondered if he was struggling with his Mathematics, as all the other boys were, so she peered over his paper. Proofs- using a set of rules to determine if a mathematical statement could be true.

Most people hated those.

Slowly she dragged a chair across the library, settling herself in beside Faleron of King's Reach.

"Need a hand?" His dark eyes lifted to meet hers, amused.

"No thanks. Rules and Truth I can understand."

Her face flushed, and she moved away from the hidden truth in his eyes.


	3. Kink

"I have a kink."

The quill dropped from numb fingers, as Alianne's head jerked towards her young Queen. The monarch was making faces at a wall, as her right hand gripped her left shoulder.

"Come again?"

A pause.

"Can you fix it?"

Aly blinked for a long time, and then she laughed. She had realized that her Sovereign Queen meant she needed a massage.


	4. Dragon

Disclaimer: Though I keep forgetting to state this little fact, these characters and places don't belong to me. I just enjoy writing little snapshots of their lives, because I'm a nerd, and think too much about them. ^^

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I never expected to really get any, I must say, so I am really, really excited. This particular drabble is dedicated to Kate of Carlay, who wanted to see some Emelan drabbles. I haven't read all of The Circle Opens series, so if it's inaccurate, just give me a shout-out!

He sat in the dirt, cross legged with his Shakkan before him, stroking the small tree. It was like this, in a new place. Rosethorn was off wherever, and Briar was waiting patiently.

Well, waiting.

As he settled there, a new flower caught his attention, and he reached out to it. It was a feisty little thing, and he thought idly that it reminded him of Rosethorn. It took him forever to coax it close, and once it did, it latched it's petals around him, as though it were biting him.

"Hey now!"

He turned his head at the soft laugh behind him, waiting for Rosethorn to kneel and untangle the plant from him.

"It's called a Snapdragon."

Well. That explained it's resemblance to Rosethorn, he thought to himself with a smile.


	5. Legend

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I just daydream about them a lot.

"_She's just a legend, father! There aren't really people like Lady Alanna!"_

He supposed he owed his father an apology for once- Duke Baird was right. There _were_ honourable and valiant people in the world. Neal had been wrong, for there really were people who deserved those titles outside of legend.

His dark green gaze was drawn across the practice yard, where a tall girl on a heathen war horse neatly lanced a willow ring with her lance. There she was, a girl he respected more than anyone. A girl who had more valour and more honour than most legends combined. She was real, and ordinary.

His lips twisted wryly. Well, she was ordinary for now. He'd bet good money that his best friend would become a legend someday herself. He bet she did it in the most honourable and valiant way possible, too.


	6. Once Again

Her forehead was cool against the warm glass, her dark blue eyes watching the surroundings that were so exotic, yet becoming so familiar. Everything here was so rich, so heavy. She was relieved to be able to sit here for once in her cotton gown, an old one left from Tortall.

"My Lady?" Kalasin lifted her head, glancing wearily at the Totallan maid who stood by the dressing table. With the softest of sighs, Kalasin dutifully took her seat as the maid dressed her hair in heavy jewelry. She had to be the beautifully done up and impressively elaborate Empress yet again.

Helplessly, her eyes looked back to the window seat, wishing her fate could have involved simple cotton gowns, and freedom, and laughter. But she was the daughter of Kings, and the wife of an Emperor. Slowly she schooled her face into flawlessness, once again the perfectly contained Empress.


	7. Mirror

Disclaimer: George and Alanna are not mine. I wish that they were, though!

A/N: This drabble is dedicated to Torikkutsuta, who was my very first reviewer! She shares with me one of _my favourite_ Tortallan pairings: Alanna and George. So this goes out to her- it isn't as sweet or fluffy as either of us would have liked, but I like it nonetheless. Tori, I do promise that the next Alanna/George will be a happy one!

I would also like to thank everyone for reviewing! Even though I hate writing long A/N's, I would like to answer a few comments.

Torikkutsuta: I _adore_ Kalasin and Kaddar as a couple, and I also see them as having a good marriage. "Once Again" is set early in their marriage, when Kally is still battling intense homesickness. So, I'm glad I got her wistfulness across properly.

Madame Star: I've no set number, really. I love writing Tamora Pierce fanfiction, but I don't have the time or plot for a full fic. So, I've settled for writing countless little drabbles. I'll write until I've got no more ideas, or until you guys stop reading!

Now, on to the drabble!

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Alanna held the mirror aloft, the purple of her magic shinning softly against the metal painted with pink roses. While the image of the beautiful mirror glowing with a purple light was the perfect image of a Lady, the face that would have been reflected in the mirror was not. Though her lips were turned up at the corners, the expression was more alike to a grimace than a grin. Lady Alanna's face was thin, and lined with age and worry. She could not recall a time when she and George had ever fought for this long, and she hated it. She hated that when he was around her, all she could feel was the fury that he had lied to her; she hated even more that she could only seem to forgive him when he wasn't around. There was no letter full of words that she could write, no message she could send. As soon as he knew he was forgiven, George would find a way to come to her, and the anger would spring up again. And so, she contented herself with scrying for him; catching glimpses of his face, just as aged and worried as hers, in the old mirror. Once or twice, the image on the mirror would turn, and seem to look at her, and Alanna was reminded of their first meeting by a wink, or a soft smile that the mirror George would give to her. But Alanna knew that George couldn't be smiling at her. It was impossible.


	8. Homecoming

**(A/N: Hey, guys! Sorry that it's been so very long since I've updated. I've been sick, and then work got crazy, and let's just say that the holidays are not fun. This morning I found two old pieces of fiction I wrote for these books, so I thought I would share. This is a Kally/Kaddar piece, and it takes place after Kally miscarries her first pregnancy. Hope you enjoy, and I look to post the other piece too. They're a bit longer than I do things now, but I thought you lot deserved a little something.)**

**Kaddar watched his wife, concern etched in his features. He'd been told that losing a child was hard on women, and indeed, Kaddar himself felt the loss of his child. He didn't care if he'd been told it was only a daughter. It had still been **_**his **_**daughter, and he'd wanted to hold her, love her, name her. As hard as he was taking this, Kalasin was undeniably taking it harder.**

Kaddar had only just begun to fall in love with his Empress, enchanted by the ice in her eyes and the fire in her heart. It had been a long road, full of many concessions and arguments, and many other things that need not be thought of just now. There were more important matters to be considered. Kaddar had felt ridiculous about secreting his wife away to visit her parents. It would have been a sign of weakness, or disapproval to send his wife away. There was no way he could take her himself, either.

Instead, Kaddar had written a letter to an old friend, feeling like an idiot as he'd patiently coaxed a bird into taking a letter do Daine, explaining over and and over again that it was important. There was no way that he could send Kalasin's court- Emmaline of Naxen or any of the other Tortallan ladies who had come with her. But he and Daine had managed a plan to take Kalasin home. Under the cover of darkness, a large winged horse flew Kalasin away, with Kaddar's fervent prayers that perhaps her mother could make things right.

It wasn't to Queen Thayet, however, that Kalasin went as soon as she thanked the horse who had deposited her into her old bedroom window. Kalasin had gone to her father, knocking on his door and entering his study, shedding her black veil at the door. Jonathan of Conte watched his daughter sadly, before opening his arms to her. Kalasin ran across the room, dropping all sense of decorum. As she had done many times as a child, the Empress of Carthak curled up on her father's lap, sobbing into his chest.

They sat like this for some time, Kalasin sobbing and Jonathan stroking her hair. It wasn't the homecoming that either of them would have wanted, but it was what they both needed. Kalasin needed to know that her father would always open his arms to her, and Jonathan needed to know that she would always come.


End file.
